Allan
was up early to see to his end of the bargain. Even if Meleri would let
him off the hook, he had his own code, he played the card game with the
chance of losing as well the chance of winning and the othersmaking him breakfast in bed. He decided
on an omelet, some hash browns and a few slices of canned peaches.
Orange juice and a daisy. He wasn't sure where he got that from but the
idea a flower should be included.The
scents of cooking would gradually fill the house as a tray laid waiting
for the plated and fare then to head up to her room she was staying in.
So, within the hour there as a knock upon her door.

Meleri
was an early riser, regardless of the time she went to sleep. Up with
the dawn and already nose-deep into a book, she'd dressed but did not
hear anyone in the home stirring. Rather than disturb her hosts, she sat
by thewindow,
with the book in her lap, using the rosy light to read by when the knock
came. Startled out of what she'd been doing, she blinked and called,
"Come in, please."

He
was up early but had not really changed out of what was comfortable.
Pants of a soft cotton in an off white were baggy and hung just below
his waist, tied off to fit. He threw a black shirt on but had not
botheredto
button it nor tuck the tails in. Tray was balanced to his shoulder and
hand while he turned the latch and used his opposite shoulder to press
the door open. A peek in showed she was up and descent before emergingfully. "Breakfast is served."
A folded towel over his forearm as he brought the tray over to her and
set on a small table.

Brows
rose in surprise, though pleasantly so. A smile formed in thanks for him
as she carefully marked her place and set the book aside, sitting up
properly as she moved her chair in closer to the table. "Thank you.
This looksamazing...
I didn't know you could cook!" But it was the daisy that made the
grey-green eyes go dewy as she picked it up and brought to her nose,
dark lashes lowering to study the plate. There was plenty, and she
lifted her gazeback to him.
"Will you stay and share it with me?"

The
omelet was cheese and strips of ham, thinly sliced and strawberry sauce
drizzled on top. "Don't tell Becca or she will have me cooking them
all breakfast too. She sent those ones to cook for me as an excuseto set me up but I can cook. I just
have so many other chores such as ploughing the fields that she can at
least make breakfast." Smile was starting to show as he pulled over
another chair to join her. "Becca cooksbetter
anyway." Then again someone else cooking always tasted better.
"I usually cook my own breakfast being she is probably still
getting her beauty rest. I wash all up and out to the fields before she
rises."

Picking
up her napkin, Meleri draped it across her lap and took up her fork to
take a testing bite. He was far too modest, prompting a quiet laugh.
"I will not tell a soul that you are an excellent cook, you have my
word." Grey-green eyes danced impishly at him as she offered him
the fork handle-first. "I'll have to return the favor some time,
though, and cook for you. Gabriel says I am very good, but it takes
another cook to judge, I think. And since youdo
work so hard, it seems only fair that the chores are shared."

"You
want me to feed you or prove I'm not poisoning you?" Wink came for
the tease as he took the fork and broke off a piece of the omelet. Blue
eyes stayed with hers as it was brought to his lips and gone. He thenbroke off another piece as it was
lifted to pause at her lips. The trace of focus dipping there as he
waited.

She
hadn't meant that, hadn't meant that at all, and surprise showed in her
eyes for the fractional hesitation before she opened her mouth to accept
the bite, not quite able to take her eyes from his. Taking care to chew
and swallow rather than choke, she smiled a little. "I know
you wouldn't poison me. Spank me, maybe... but poison is not your
style."

Eyes
had lifted to meet hers once the morsel was safely within to be
consumed. He turned the fork so she could take it. "No, I wouldn't
poison you because then I might not get the opportunity to spank
you." Whichhad
him chuckling as he sat back and studied her a moment but not overly to
come off rude. Instead he turned enough to move the curtain further
aside letting the scene from this window more exposed. He pointedto the area where the fields were.
"Just over the top of that knoll where it levels over is the first
field. Down from there is the one I will be ploughing now that the new
plough came in."

She
leaned over a little to better see where he pointed, and nodded,
committing the scene to memory so she could find it again. "What
will you be planting there?" Realizing her hair had fallen over her
face, she reached up to tuck the heavy locks behind her ear,
dropping her gaze to the plate to resume eating, sampling the hash
browns and turning the fork for him again.

He
held the curtain so she could see and even reached to help tuck the hair
back but she had. Fingertips barely grazing before falling away. It was
a natural response but she was quick! "I think corn for the most
partand the
smaller area for a vegetable garden extension. We grow wheat for flour,
lots of varying vegetables for canning and there are fruit trees. We're
not as big as the farmlands of Ravanna but pretty descent."

"Sometimes
bigger isn't better." She felt the brush of his fingertips and
glanced up with a slight smile of thanks for his effort. "I think
the lands here are lovely... they remind me of Caledonriane, rolling
hills and orderlyfields."
It was a compliment, in Meleri's own way. "Do you enjoy tending the
land?" Farming, she knew, wasn't for everyone, but she wanted to
hear his opinion on it.

"I
do. I like the way the earth feels in my hands like I'm a part of it all
and that feeling of accomplishment when what I have planted grows. I
like to whittle and do some carving too when I get time. You shouldcome out when I finish tilling the
field."

"I'd
like that." And for once, she did not make a diffident comment
about it, her smile warming to reflect in her eyes. "There is much
I've yet to see and learn about this area . I sometimes think I'll never
see it all."

"We've
been here a short time and I have yet to see enough. Then again I
only started getting out socially too recently." Due to Becca's encouragement or she would keep sending these women she metnearby farm areas on him. He was up
from the seat at that point, leaving the curtain pushed to the side. Too
nice a view to be covered up even slightly. "I need to go take care
of some chores. You can leave thetray
here once you are done and the chambermaid will take it out when she
makes up the room." So they had some staff help for the manor was
big enough.

"Thank
you, I will." The smile deepened briefly. "And I will see you
later at the fields."

"Bring
a parasol unless you want to get sunburned." It was hotter out in
the fields for some reason so the suggestion given. Smile tipped more to
one side in a boyish touch before he was heading out. The day had begun.